Modern ice hockey rinks include glass barriers comprised of transparent glass panels encircling the rinks above the dasher boards. These glass panels protect spectators from flying pucks and debris, and assist the dasher boards to contain flying pucks while still permitting a relatively unobstructed view of the hockey action on the ice by spectators. The glass panels are typically constructed of thick, tempered glass. In more modern “seamless” glass barriers, the glass panels are supported side-by-side in a groove along the top of the dasher boards. Adjoining glass panels are clipped together at their top corners by metal brackets. Older glass barriers include mullions mounted to the dasher boards between the panels for supporting the panels. Seamless glass barriers are preferable because they permit a full, virtually unobstructed view of the ice and hockey game.
Unfortunately, when a player or a flying puck impacts these glass barriers with sufficient force, the glass can shatter into thousands of small fragments. Typically, these pieces are roughly oblong and, and approximately one-half (½) to one (1) inch long. Violent impacts with the glass can cause glass shards to rain down on players and officials on the ice and on nearby spectators in their seats. These glass projectiles create the possibility of skin lacerations and serious eye injury. Sports arena owners and operators cannot ignore the danger to the safety of participants and spectators at hockey games.
In addition to these safety issues, the shattering of the glass panels creates clean-up problems. Cleaning up shattered glass is an arduous task. Maintenance personnel must carefully locate and remove thousands of glass particles that have fallen to the ice and floor and slid under seats or other surrounding objects. It is difficult if not impossible to know whether each and every piece has been cleared from the ice or from spectator areas. If anyone slips and falls on an overlooked piece, serious injury can result. Also, even if some portions of the shattered glass do not fall to the ice or floor during breakage, they likely will during replacement operations.
Finally, the shattering of glass can have a major, outcome-determinative effect on the tempo of a hockey match. By the time broken glass is cleaned up and replaced, a team can easily lose its focus and momentum.
Others have attempted to address this problem in various ways. Tempered glass is typically used in ice hockey arenas instead of ordinary plate glass. Although tempered glass has superior strength over ordinary plate glass, breakage still occurs. In addition, to maximize the strength of the glass panels bordering the most critical portions of the hockey rink near the goals, five-eighths (⅝) inch thick panels are used. The less critical glass panels along the sides of the rink are typically only one-half (½) inch thick. The ⅝ inch glass panels flex very little when struck by players or pucks. Hockey players dislike the thicker ⅝ inch panels because their rigidity causes colliding hockey players more pain than the more flexible ½ inch panels. Also, the more rigid ⅝ inch panels can cause more concussions to colliding players than the more forgiving ½ inch glass panels. In addition, the ⅝ inch panels are approximately seventy five (75) pounds heavier than the ½ inch panels. Because many hockey arenas are also multi-use facilities, the heavier ⅝ inch panels make the oft repeated breakdown and reassembly of the glass barriers more difficult for workers. Therefore, it is desirable to have shatter-resistant glass barriers for hockey rinks that are constructed entirely of the lighter and more flexible ½ inch glass panels.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,438 to Kunz et al. discloses a modular rink assembly that may include plexi-glass panels mounted atop the sideboards and end boards. Though plexi-glass panels are more shatter-resistant than tempered glass panels, plexi-glass is much more easily scratched than tempered glass. Over time, accumulated scratches on plexi-glass panels affect the transparency of the panels, and impair the view of the hockey action for spectators and television cameras. Therefore, it is desirable to have a shatter-resistant transparent barrier for hockey rinks which is also scratch and scar resistant.
None of the above solutions seek to restrain glass particles from dismantling from a glass barrier once the inevitable breakage occurs. Also, apparently no prior art solutions have targeted broken glass retention systems in a retro-fit manner to decrease the hazardous potential of broken glass.